Metro police officer charged with rape

A Metro Police lieutenant was arrested on Friday after being indicted on charges of raping a woman with whom he had a long-term relationship.

Police said Lt. Curtis Watkins, 36, was taken into custody before noon Friday after a three-count rape indictment accused him of having non-consensual sex with the alleged victim once in 2012 and twice in 2013.

Watkins was decommissioned on Jan. 27 after becoming the subject of an investigation by both the Sex Crimes Unit and Office of Professional Accountability after the victim, 40, who was in a relationship with Watkins from 2008-2013, contacted police.

The Office of Professional Accountability investigation is nearing completion. He is expected to be officially administratively charged with violating police department rules and regulations next week, for which he will face a disciplinary hearing with a potential sanction of termination.

"Members of this police department deeply value the trust and confidence placed in us by Nashville's citizens," Chief Steve Anderson said in a news release. "Our commitment to the community absolutely required thorough criminal and administrative investigations of this employee while he was in a restricted assignment with no police authority. As reflected by the indictment and the administrative investigation, the MNPD took this matter very seriously."

Watkins had been assigned to the Madison Precinct's Investigations Unit prior to being decommissioned. He has been on desk duty at police headquarters since Jan. 27.

Watkins is a 15-year veteran of the department. He was promoted to sergeant in 2008 and lieutenant in 2013.